Bernie Sanders to Introduce Bill to Make College Tuition-Free

[Jefferson23]

The Vermont senator cited several European countries as a model for the United States.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders will introduce legislation on Tuesday to make public college tuition-free in the United States.

"We live in a highly competitive global economy and, if our economy is to be strong, we need the best-educated work force in the world. That will not happen if, every year, hundreds of thousands of bright young people cannot afford to go to college, and if millions more leave school deeply in debt," the Vermont senator and presidential candidate said in a statement released Sunday.

The plan will provide tuition-free higher education to students at four-year colleges, the statement said, and is modeled after the way many European nations handle the costs of college.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-17/bernie-sanders-to-introduce-bill-to-make-college-tuition-free

[MADem]

1. Didn't Obama propose something like this as well?

I think he only asked for two years of community college tuition, and excluded rich kids. BUT, he also included vocational training for the non-academics among us.

Why yes, here it is: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/09/fact-sheet-white-house-unveils-america-s-college-promise-proposal-tuitio

Today the President is unveiling the America’s College Promise proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students, letting students earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree and earn skills needed in the workforce at no cost. This proposal will require everyone to do their part: community colleges must strengthen their programs and increase the number of students who graduate, states must invest more in higher education and training, and students must take responsibility for their education, earn good grades, and stay on track to graduate. The program would be undertaken in partnership with states and is inspired by new programs in Tennessee and Chicago. If all states participate, an estimated 9 million students could benefit. A full-time community college student could save an average of $3,800 in tuition per year.

In addition, today the President will propose a new American Technical Training Fund to expand innovative, high-quality technical training programs similar to Tennessee Tech Centers that meet employer needs and help prepare more Americans for better paying jobs. These proposals build on a number of historic investments the President has made in college affordability and quality since taking office, including a $1,000 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award to help working and middle class families, the creation of the $2,500 American Opportunity Tax Credit, reforming student loans to eliminate subsidies to banks to invest in making college more affordable and keeping student debt manageable, and making available over $2 billion in grants to connect community colleges with employers to develop programs that are designed to get hard-working students good jobs.

The President’s Plan: Make Two Years of College as Free and Universal as High School

By 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor’s degree and 30 percent will require some college or an associate’s degree. Forty percent of college students are enrolled at one of America’s more than 1,100 community colleges, which offer students affordable tuition, open admission policies, and convenient locations. They are particularly important for students who are older, working, need remedial classes, or can only take classes part-time. For many students, they offer academic programs and an affordable route to a four-year college degree. They are also uniquely positioned to partner with employers to create tailored training programs to meet economic needs within their communities such as nursing, health information technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The America’s College Promise proposal would create a new partnership with states to help them waive tuition in high-quality programs for responsible students, while promoting key reforms to help more students complete at least two years of college. Restructuring the community college experience, coupled with free tuition, can lead to gains in student enrollment, persistence, and completion transfer, and employment. ...

I don't see this proposal ever taking off. The GOP is beating the shit out of Obama for wanting to offer two years of universal post-high school education to young Americans, why would "MORE" somehow become more popular or easier to attain? Pie in the sky--sounds good, won't go anywhere.

[Jefferson23]

9. Obama's goal is listed in this OP too:

*President Obama continues to try and drum up congressional support for his plan to make community college tuition-free.

“I want to lower the cost of community college to zero," Obama said earlier this month at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota. "We can’t afford to let striving Americans be priced out of the education they need to get ahead.”

The more Democrats are on board the better chance we have, that is a win win. We have hurdles to fight
MADem, and we need to be prepared to take them on, we'll get there if we all demand it.

[yeoman6987]

2. As long as he doesn't make it as impossible for average

Kids to get into college like in Europe then ok, but when government pays, requirements can be stringent.

[joshcryer]

3. Is that true?

Do you have a link about that? I never heard of that at all.

[BrotherIvan]

7. I asked my friend in Denmark, where college is free

He said that admission to a college program (they don't have undeclared admissions like the US) is dependent on GPA. So some might not qualify for a program in a particular year based on the number of entrants and their GPA. So if you can't get in one year to a high demand program, by adding some training and work experience, you can get in another year. And not only is college free, but students are given a stipend for dorm, food, books, etc. so going to college is truly subsidized by the government. He said that no one who wants to go to college is denied, they just have to meet certain levels of GPA. Doesn't sound bad to me.

[joshcryer]

4. Education is going to be a core element of this primary.

Everyone is going to one to outdo the next with how much they want to support students.

The biggest issue I foresee economically is the student loan bubble busting some time in the next 5 years. It's not going to be very pretty.

[Jefferson23]

8. I so agree with you about that bubble, it frightens me. n/t

[libdem4life]

5. How soon will Hillary be jumping on This wagon? Talk about getting the young and

minority vote! And he's been saying that like forever. How will the student loan bankers ever recover from that one? What? Two less years of debt?

I got my first two years free, scholarships and the next two years financed the NDEA loans, which were forgiven in 4 years if you taught in a Title 1 school. That's the way it should be now. This was before it got "privatized" and the bankers saw a lot of interest just going down the educational drain.

[Jefferson23]

11. I think it's great if she gets on board, I hope she does. I don't see that hurting Bernie.

The debt is monstrous, literally. I had hoped we could see a moratorium on them
until they could be refinanced, reduced, consolidated..what have you.

The entire loan process we have now is horrific.

[libdem4life]

12. Hillary's "jumping on board" for anything as Democratic as this,

is like all of her other sudden recent Bernie-parroting "turns to the Left" ... merely momentary and, shall we say, likely temporary.

I should have put this in my post...

[Jefferson23]

13. No question, people will be making judgements about trust and follow through.

We expect that, as with any candidate issues of trust get sorted out and
why I wouldn't worry about anytime she adds something she may not have
been behind before. I suspect Sanders will do the same regarding his record
on gun rights legislation., he may adopt her position, or one of the other
candidates who are running.

[libdem4life]

14. Yes, and somewhat agree about the gun rights legislation. My answer to myself as a gun control

proponent, I also grew up rural when everybody (but us..the Preacher's family) had a gun and half of those had trucks with gun racks. I knew what to do with a gun (a 22), how to use it, clean it and what NOT to do with it.

I think this is one issue that is/was regional...hunting territory vs. urban handguns. We had very little money, but lots of meat...and that had to do with guns.

I hope it's possible to make that distinction, because it is culturally correct to use guns for food and protection out in rural areas where there aren't any LEOs close by. I still struggle with it, because people in the city feel the need for protection, too.

I hope Bernie can somehow, magically create a happy medium between the NRA and sensible gun laws.

[Jefferson23]

15. I can appreciate what you're saying and imagine a hefty percentage of Americans

feel as you do. I also believe Bernie will have to deal with his history on gun
legislation, so we'll see.

[libdem4life]

16. That, he will.

[Hoyt]

6. Question is, can Sanders get it enacted?

[Jefferson23]

10. With lots of grassroots work that all Democrats can get behind. Independents and young

Republicans who struggle as well.

Lets remember, Obama received approximately 9 million Republican votes in 2008.